Collapsible dress form



E. WEINSTEIN COLLAPSIBLE DRESS FORM Feb. 17, 1942.

Filed May 14, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Edam rd h/zuzslezrz BY)AIQW ATTORNEY Feb. 17, 1942.

' I T a 50 il I I 9 25 E. WEINSTEINI 2,273,743

COLLAPSIBLE DRESS FORM Filed May- 14, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 amma-1995ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 17, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,273,743COLLAPSIBLE Danss FORM Edward Weinstein, New York, N. Y.Applicationlvlay 14, 1940, Serial No. 335,075

6 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a collapsibledress form.

. The invention has for an object the construction of a dress formhaving separate shoulder and side portions mounted in a particular wayon the form body and associated with'mechanism by which the shoulder andside portions may be extended or retracted, as desired, to permit thewaistline to be pulled over the shoulders of the dress form. Thisadjustment permits the form to better fit various types of dresseshaving various types of shoulders.

Still further the invention contemplates characterizing the mechanismfor moving the shoulder and side portions by a controlling knobprojecting from the top. of the form where it ma be readily grasped andmaneuvered. I

Still further the invention proposes a novel arrangement by which theshoulder and side portions may be extended through small distances, andif desired, further extended by a particular operation of the extensionmeans. I

Still further the invention contemplates characterizing the extensionmeans by racks connected with the shoulder and side portions andconnected with controlling mechanism in a novel fashion. l

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings, and to the appende ed claims in which thevarious novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional View taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line 5-5 ofFig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken on the line 6-6of Fig. 3.

Fig. '1 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view similar to Fig. 3 butillustrating a-modified construction.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken on the line 88of Fig. 7.

. Fig. 9 is a fragmentary enlarged horizontal sectional view taken onthe line 99 of Fig. '1.

The collapsible dress form, according to this invention, includes formbody H) having separate shoulders and side portions II hinged1y mountedat their bottom ends, with hinges I2 to the adjacent portions of theform body I 0. The form body IIl has the usual interior rigid formmaterial I0 with the customary covering material lfl Similarly, theshoulder and side portions II comprise inner rigid shaping material IIand outer cloth covering material II Disc shaped members I4 are securedto the sho'ul der and side portions II by fastening elements I5. Thesedisc shaped members I4 comprise the usual sockets for the arms of theform, not shown on the drawings, if such arms are desired. Each shoulderand side portion II has its side edges II and its top edge II bentinwards and engaging adjacent inwardly bent edge portions Ii] of theform proper I0. The arrangement is such that each of the shoulder andside portions I I is free to be moved inwards or outwards about thehinges I2 as pivots.

The usual wire frame extension I6 is mounted on the bottom of the formbody IS). A vertical rod I1 extends through the form I0 and at its topend I1 is connected with the form It? and supports the same in theconventional manner. This rod I1 is mounted on a foot bracket l8provided with. casters I9 for resting on the floor. The form body I0 hasthe conventional top neck portion In v A pair of slidably supportedparallel racks 21] extend in opposite directions and have their teethopposed to each other, and at their outer ends are connected with thesaid shoulder and side-portions II to move the latter parts intoextended or retracted positions, as hereinafter more fully described.Each rack 20 is connected with its shoulder and side portion I I byengaging a bracket 2| which is mounted on a plate 22 which is attachedupon the inside of the shoulder and side portion I I. A cotter pin 23,or other pintle, engages through the bracket 2| and the outer end of therack 20 for connecting these parts. Each rack 20 is slidably supportedby engaging between the arms of channel members 24. These channelmembers are mounted upon a partition 25 horizontally supported acrossthe interior of the form II]. There is sufficient play between each rack20 and each bracket 2| to permit the shoulder and side portion II tomove in an arcuate path about the hinge I2, while the rack 20moveshorizontally. The usual slot or other tolerance between the partsis provided.

A rod 21 is turnably and longitudinally movably supported in the formbody I0 and extends in between the racks 20 and has its top section 21projecting from the top of the form body. A knob 28 is mounted on thetop end of the rod 21 by which it may be conveniently turned. The bottomend 21 of the rod 21' is rotatively supported by a bearing 29 which ismounted on a' resilient'element 30, such as a spring, which in turn issupported by a bracket 3| mounted on the resilient action of the spring30, or the rod may be allowed to be in its upward position.

' Means is provided for urging the rod 21 upwards into its raisedposition. This means includes a collar 32 which is attached by fasteningelements 33 on a tube 32 which is rotatively mounted on the rod 21.Springs 34 are attached to the collar 32 and extend upwards and at theirtop ends are attached to the top of the neck portion I of the form. Thesprings 34, in conjunction with the leaf spring 30, serve to hold therod 21 in a raised position. The tube 32 is rotative on the rod 21 byreason of being disposed in between a pair of collars 21 and 21 whichare fixedly mounted on the rod 21. The handle 28 may be turned to turnthe rod 21 while the tubular member 32 remains non-rotative.

A very'wide pinion 35 is mounted on the rod 21 and meshes with the saidracks 20. Thus the rod 21 may be turned in one direction or the other tosimultaneously extend or retract the racks 20.

Means is provided for limiting turning of the pinion 35 through a smallamplitude, and this means includes rack teeth 36 meshing with the pinion35 and disposed on a frame 31. This frame 31 is slidably mounted betweenthe arms of an opposed pair of channel members 38. These the other ofthe springs 40 until further motion is limited by one or the other endof the frame 31 striking the pinion 35. When the knob 28 is released theexpanded spring 40 will contract and return the frame 37 to its centralposition, and this causes motion of the rack 29, returning the shoulderand side portions l I back to their initial the invention the racks 20,which are connected ported on the form Ill. rod 21 is provided with aknob 46 by which it channel members 38 are mounted at right anglesacross and upon the channel members 24. Blocks 39 are interposed betweenthe partition and the projecting ends of the channel members 38 toassist in the rigid support of the latter.

The frame 3'! is resiliently urged into a neutral central position by apair of parallel springs 49. The springs 40 are mounted at theiropposite ends on pins 4| projecting from the frame 31, and the otherends of the springs 40 are mounted on pins 42 which project from theflanges of the channel members 38. The springs 40 are of equal lengthand equal dimensions and strength, and extend equal distances past thepinion 35. Normally, the springs 40 urge the frame 3'! into the positionshown by the full lines in Fig. 6. When the rod 27 is turned, the pinionwill move the frame 3'! in one direction or the other against theresilient action of the springs until one or the other of the ends ofthe frame 21 strike the pinion 35.

The operation of the device is as follows:

The separate shoulder and side portions II are normally in theirretracted positions, as illustrated on the drawing. A dress may readilybe placed on the form. The shoulders of the form may then be extended.This may be done by pressing downwards on the knob 28 to move the rod 21downwards to a position in which the pinion 35 disengages from the rackteeth 36 but in which the pinion 35 retains its engagement with theteeth of the racks 29. The knob 28 may now be turned to extend the racks29 any desired distance. This extends the shoulder and side portions II.The knob 28 is now permitted to move upwards so that the rod 21 movesupwards and the pinion 35 re-engages the teeth 36 of the frame 31 andretains its engagement with the teeth of the racks 20.

If it is now desired to slightly extend or retract the shoulder andside. portions II to contemplate the appearance of a displayed garment,it is merely necessary to turn the knob 28 in one direction or the otherto correspondingly turn the rod 21. This moves the racks 20 outwards orinwards and simultaneously moves the frame 31 either forwards orrearwards to expand one or with the shoulder and side portions II, meshwith a pinion 35 mounted on a rod 21. This rod is rotatively supportedat its bottom in a bearing 45 which is mounted on a bracket 46 sup- Theupper end of the may be readily turned in one direction or the other. Atubular member 41 is slidably mounted on the rod 21. The slidablearrangement is accomplished with keys 48 on one of the parts engagingkey cuts on the other of the parts. The tubular member 4'! has tophandle portions 4'! by which the tubular member may be moved upwards. Anexpansion spring 49 acts between the a knob 46 and the top of thetubular member 41 compressing the spring 49.

for normally urging it downwards. The bottom end 41 of the tubularmember 41 is non-circular and engages into a complementary socketbracket 53 which is fixedly mounted on the partition 25.

The operation of this form of the invention is as follows:

The palm is engaged over the knob 46 and with the fingers engaging thehandle portions 41 the tubular member 41 is moved upwards, Thus thelower end 4'! is disengaged from the socket bracket 50. It is nowpossible to turn the knob 46 in one direction or the other tocorrespondingly turn the rod 21 which because of the pinion 35 extends 4or retracts the racks 20. When the handle portions 4'! are released, thespring 49 returns the tubular member 41 to its lowered position in whichthebottom end 47* re-engages the socket to hold the rod 21 in itsadjusted position.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of myinvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to allchanges and modifications I coming within the scope of the invention asdefined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent is:

l. A collapsible dress form, comprising a form body having separateshoulder and side portions hingedly mounted at their bottom ends to theadjacent portions of the form body, a pair of slidably supportedparallel racks extending in opposite directions and having their teethopposed to each other and at their outer ends connected with saidshoulder and side portions to move into fully extended or retractedpositions, a rod turnably and longitudinally movably supported in saidform body and extending between said racks and having its top endprojecting 2. A collapsible dress form, comprising a form body havingseparate shoulder and side portions hingedly mounted at their bottomends to the adjacentv portions of the form body, a pair of slidablysupported parallel racks extending in opposite directions and havingtheir teeth opposed to each other and at their outer ends connected withsaid shoulder and side portions to move into fully extended or retractedpositions, a rod turnably and longitudinally movably supported in saidform body and extending between said racks and having its top endprojecting from the top of said form body, means for urging said rodupwards into a raised position, a wide pinion mounted on said rod andmeshing with said racks, and means for limiting turning of said pinionthrough a small amplitude and including rack teeth meshing with the topportion of said pinion in the raised position of said rod, whereby saidrod may be moved down and then turned to fully extend or retract saidshoulder and side portions, said parallel racks being slidably supportedbetween the arms of a pair of channel shaped members fixedly mountedwithin said form body.

3. A collapsible dress form, comprising a form body having separateshoulder and side portions hingedly mounted at their bottom ends to theadjacent portions of the form body, a pair of slidably supportedparallel racks extending in opposite directions and having their teethopposed to each other and at their outer ends connected with saidshoulder and side portions to move into fully extended or retractedpositions,

a rod turnably and longitudinallymovably supported in said form body andextending between said racks and having its top end projecting from thetop of said form body, means for urging said rod upwards into a raisedposition, a wide pinion mounted on said rod and meshing with said racks,and means for limiting turning of said pinion through a small amplitudeand including rack teeth meshing with the top portion of said pinion inthe raised position of said rod, whereby said rod may be moved down andthen turned to fully extend or retract said shoulder and side portions,said rod being rotatively supported in a bearing which is supported on area rod turnably and longitudinally movably supported in said form bodyand extending between said racks and having its top end projecting,

from the top of said form body, means for urging said rod upwards into araised position, a wide pinion mounted on said rod and meshing eludingrack teeth meshing with the top portion of said pinion in the raisedposition of said rod, whereby said rod may be moved down and then turnedto fully extend orretract said shoulder and side portions, said meansfor urging the rod upwards comprising a tubular member through whichsaid rod is turnably mounted, flanges on the rod engaging the ends ofthetubular member, resilient means urging the tubular member upwards.

5. A collapsible dress form, comprising a form body having separateshoulder and side portions hingedly mounted at their bottom ends to theadjacent portions of the form body, a pair of slidably supportedparallel racks extending in opposite directions and having their teethopposed to each other and at their outer ends connected with saidshoulder and side portions to move into fully extended or retractedpositions, a rod turnably and longitudinally movably supported in saidform body and extending between said racks and having its top endprojecting from the top of said form body, means for urging said rodupwards into a raised position, a wide pinion mounted on said rod andmeshing with said racks, and means for limiting turning of said pinionthrough a small amplitude and including rack teeth meshing with the topportion of said pinion in the raised position of said rod, whereby saidrod may be moved down and then turned to fully extend or retractsaid'shoulder and side portions, said limiting means comprising a frameprovided with said rack teeth, resilient means for urging said frameinto a neutral position, and means for limiting sliding of said frame inone direction or the other. i

6. A collapsible dress form, comprising a form body-having separateshoulderand side portions hingedly mounted at their bottom ends to theadjacent portions of the form body, a pair of slidably supportedparallel racks extending in opposite directions and having their teethopposed to each other and at their outer ends connected with saidshoulder and side portions to move into fully extend-ed or retractedpositions, a rod turnably and longitudinally movably supported in saidform body and extending between said racks and having its top endprojecting from the top of said form body, means for urging said rodupwards into a raised position, a wide pinion mounted on said rod andmeshing with said racks, and means for limiting turning of said pinionthrough a small amplitude and including rack teeth meshing with the topportion of said pinion in the raised position of said rod, whereby saidrod may be moved down and then turned to fully extend or retract saidshoulder and side portions, said limiting means comprising a frameprovided with said rack teeth, resilient means for urging said frameinto neutral position, and means for limiting sliding of said frame inone direction or the other, said frame being slidably mounted betweenthe arms of channel shaped members fixedly mounted.

EDWARD WEINSTEIN.

